Home
cures and “old wife” remedies were used more in
former times than they are now, and some of them seem rather
strange.

When “wattery,”
or chicken-pox broke out, a red flannel petticoat was hung across
the window of the sick room. This was supposed to hasten a cure,
and in the case of small-pox it was believed to prevent pitting.

For headache,
a house-leek was pounded and made into a poultice. These plants
were easily got as they grew on the roof of many a cottage,
but seemed to favour the old grey slates rather than the new
blue ones.

The juice
of primroses was used as a lotion for spring rashes, and sage
was used not only for flavouring but also for stomach trouble.
Sage “tea” also did for a hair-wash!

Rosemary
is usually “for remembrance,” but apparently (according
to the herbi-wives or skilly buddies) it was also good for the
liver. Violet leaves were used for swellings, and a brew of
camomile flowers was useful in cases of sleeplessness-and gumboils!

The root
of Solomon’s Seal, grated and sprinkled on a bread poultice,
removed bruise discolorations. Stems of the fragrant myrrh,
or sweet Cicely, made into a “tea,” gave relief
in chest troubles or bronchial colds.

Lavender
provided fragrant linen, and apple-ringey kept one awake in
church, however dreich the sermon.
Dandelion-tea and nettle-beer were used as a blood-purifier
and tonic. Linseed (from the flax plant) was useful for croup,
throat or chest troubles. A tickly throat might be relieved
by an infusion of chopped onion, sugar and vinegar.

Raspberry-vinegar,
black currant and rowan wines were held in reserve for colds.
A posset made by boiling together oatmeal, milk and treacle,
was also said to be excellent for fighting a cold. But for the
boy who had raided the apple orchard and over-eaten thereof,
there was nothing better than a good dose of senna tea.

Black soap
and sugar made a good poultice and cleanser for a festering
finger. For a sty a poultice of cold tea-leaves (or rotten apples)
was considered as good a cure as any.

Children
recovering from whooping-cough were given asses milk. Children
recovering from infectious troubles were taken to the river
or a bridge so that the winds from the water might blow infection
away. Strange to say, a similar “health trip” was
sometimes made to the nearest gas-works!

Bites and
stings called for starch, ammonia, washing soda or the “blue
bag,” but if you tumbled into a bed of nettles then first-aid
usually took the form of docken-leaves-and it still does!

Wonderful
“Cures”

There were
also superstitious “cures.” A girl with weak eyes
was advised to wear a red coral necklace, or to have her ears
pierced for ear-rings. Necklaces were also worn as an amulet
against colds and bronchitis. For whooping-cough a mug of water
from a running stream was beneficial, but it had to be lifted
facing the current.

Other
“cures” were even more fantastic, but if faith can
work wonders, then we can at least say this, they probably did
more good than harm.